The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, Israel, has partnered with ElectReon and Dan Bus Company to launch a pilot project that will install wireless electric roads for charging public transportation in the city.
The pilot, the first of its kind in Israel, will be carried out between Tel Aviv University Railway Station and Klatzkin Terminal in Ramat Aviv – a 2km route, which will include 600 meters of ‘electric road’.
The pilot project will enable specially-equipped electric buses, capable of being charged directly from under-road electric infrastructure, to travel on the route. Following the completion of tests and integration of the technology within approximately two months, a Dan Bus Company electric bus will commence regular journeys on the route, serving passengers traveling to Tel Aviv University.
The execution of the pilot project forms part of a municipal policy attaching great importance to electric vehicles and reducing air pollution in the city. This will be carried out by constructing electric roads to encourage energy independent public transportation; placing EV charging stations in public spaces; and adopting innovative initiatives and technologies in various fields, including transportation..
The construction of an electric road to charge public transportation vehicles will make Tel Aviv-Yafo the first city in the world to roll out this type of technology for charging buses on a wide scale. In doing so, the city will evaluate the possibility of additional electric transportation, including distribution trucks, and private and autonomous vehicles.
Constructing electric roads in Tel Aviv-Yafo will have a major impact, including improving air quality for the benefit of residents and visitors, to introduce an advanced transportation solution to the world and to place the State of Israel as a global leader in the field.
“We are constantly working to reduce air pollution in the city, and our strategic action plan to prepare for climate change has placed the fight against pollution at the top of the municipality’s environmental agenda,” says Ron Huldai, Mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo. “If the pilot is successful, we will evaluate – together with the Ministry of Transportation – its expansion to additional locations in the city.”
“This is a very important step in the implementation of electric road technology, and we are delighted that the first electrified public route is being established in Tel Aviv – a global leader in the field of innovation and smart transportation,” says Oren Ezer, ElectReon CEO and founding partner. “We see this project as the first step of a fruitful collaboration with the municipality, Transportation Ministry, Dan and Pandan – the importer of Higer buses to Israel. We thank the Israel Innovation Authority and the Ministry of Energy for their support with this project.
“The pilot will be a display window to the world, showcasing the ability to charge urban public transportation. This is alongside a project in Sweden demonstrating the ability to charge heavy trucks on an intercity road, and a project in Germany that represents the first sale of the technology to a commercial company. We thank the municipality and especially the technical teams who assisted in setting up the project. The project would not have been possible without them.”
